By Liliana Usvat
Blog 356-365
Guano Palm, Sabel mauritiiformis, Arecaceae family. A prized palm is found in the Maya jungles and is the most valuable palm frond for the Maya people since it is used to build their traditional home's roofing.
The Guano palm has large thick water-resistant fronds that will last up to 15 years when properly cured for roofing. Harvest only during full moon by the Maya to avoid steam to be susceptible to insects damage. The Guano palm trunk as it matures because very hard and sturdy.
Guano is slang for bat droppings. But in its context, guano is perfectly normal word for thatch from this common palm tree.
Guano is Sabal genus but potentially many different species are called guano
It is typical in local Spanish of Mesoamerica for the same word (in this case huano or guano) to refer to many separate trees
Guano palms, used to make the thatched palapa roofs
Palm thatch is cut only during certain phase of the moon
Most visitors to Maya sites assume that when the local people say it is best to harvest palm thatch during a certain phase of the moon, that this is utter superstition with no actual supporting facts.
Very easy: harvest the palm for your home at any time of the month that you select (ignoring the position of the moon).
Compare it with a Mayan thatch roof harvested at the optimum time of the moon for having the palm protected by the position and amount of the sap.
I bet that the “anytime, non-superstitious” thatched palm will rot a lot more quickly, than the house that the local experienced Maya villager can build.
Blog 356-365
Guano Palm, Sabel mauritiiformis, Arecaceae family. A prized palm is found in the Maya jungles and is the most valuable palm frond for the Maya people since it is used to build their traditional home's roofing.
The Guano palm has large thick water-resistant fronds that will last up to 15 years when properly cured for roofing. Harvest only during full moon by the Maya to avoid steam to be susceptible to insects damage. The Guano palm trunk as it matures because very hard and sturdy.
Guano is slang for bat droppings. But in its context, guano is perfectly normal word for thatch from this common palm tree.
Guano is Sabal genus but potentially many different species are called guano
It is typical in local Spanish of Mesoamerica for the same word (in this case huano or guano) to refer to many separate trees
Guano palms, used to make the thatched palapa roofs
Palm thatch is cut only during certain phase of the moon
Most visitors to Maya sites assume that when the local people say it is best to harvest palm thatch during a certain phase of the moon, that this is utter superstition with no actual supporting facts.
Very easy: harvest the palm for your home at any time of the month that you select (ignoring the position of the moon).
Compare it with a Mayan thatch roof harvested at the optimum time of the moon for having the palm protected by the position and amount of the sap.
I bet that the “anytime, non-superstitious” thatched palm will rot a lot more quickly, than the house that the local experienced Maya villager can build.
